Company cited for stealing water from hydrant

September 22, 2009 2:41:41 PM PDT

September 22, 2009 (CHICAGO) --

The City of Chicago has cited a prominent trucking company with stealing water from a hydrant for work on a road project. Pictures taken by city inspectors and obtained by the ABC7 I-Team purport to show trucks from MAT Construction taking water from a city hydrant without having obtained a valid permit.

MAT is owned by the son of former Hired Truck kingpin Michael Tadin. A city plumbing inspector said he ordered work to be halted on a Northwest Side street resurfacing project. The company claims it was all a misunderstanding and that everything has now been worked out. However, the citation remains in place.

Tadin's company isn't the only one that helps itself to city hydrants.

Wednesday night at 10 p.m., the ABC7 I-Team takes you to "the watering holes" where private contractors get their fill for free. Chuck Goudie will have the exclusive investigation.